Demand for Engineers Continues, Employers Cite Lack of Experience as Top Hiring Concern

MILWAUKEE, Feb. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As the demand for engineering talent continues to increase, employers are struggling to find candidates with the work experience they need. This is according to a new report released today by Experis, the global leader in professional resourcing and project-based solutions within ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN).

The survey, released ahead of National Engineers Week (21-27 February, 2016), found that engineering employers cite lack of experience as the top hiring challenge, followed by lack of applicants, lack of hard/technical skills, salary demands being too high and lack of soft skills/workplace competencies.

From the candidate side, over half (51%) of the engineers surveyed report feeling satisfied or extremely satisfied in their current position, but 41% are actively seeking new positions in 2016 and a third (34%) intend to change employers before the year is over. Of those looking for new opportunities, 81% are either confident or extremely confident they will succeed.

"With the boomer generation rapidly retiring and not enough STEM graduates entering the workforce there are great opportunities out there for people with the right skills to advance," said Rich Hutchings, Experis Vice President, Engineering. "At the moment we see this imbalanced situation where 95% of engineering employers plan to hire this year, but less than a quarter are confident they'll actually find the people they need."

According to the ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey, which has been conducted annually since 2006, engineers have placed among the top 10 hardest jobs to fill in the U.S. since 2008. This year, mechanical engineers surpassed electrical engineers as the most sought-after engineering role, followed by manufacturing engineers, chemical engineers and control systems engineers.

Overall satisfaction with engineering as a career remains extremely high - less than 1% of those interviewed reported dissatisfaction. Similarly, an overwhelming majority (99%) said they are likely to remain in the field of engineering for the duration of their career and 99% would be likely to recommend engineering as a career to others.

Salaries, bonuses and/or incentives remain the top draw for engineering candidates, but access to better health benefits jumped to the number two spot this year - up four places from last year - followed by improved work-life balance, better work environment/culture and access to better professional training/career development.

When asked who most inspired their career choice, the majority (30%) of engineers cite parents and family members. The influence of STEM teachers and professors is prevalent as well, with 28%.

An infographic containing the key findings from the 2016 Experis Engineering Talent Supply and Demand Survey is available here.

About the Survey

A total of 700 engineers and 70 employers participated in the online survey. The survey was designed to be representative of individuals working in an engineering discipline and employers who hire engineers within their organizations. The survey ran from January 19 through 27, 2016.

About Experis

Experis™ is the global leader in professional resourcing and project-based solutions. Experis accelerates organizations' growth by intensely attracting, assessing and placing specialized expertise in IT, Finance and Engineering to precisely deliver in-demand talent for mission-critical positions and projects, enhancing the competitiveness of the organizations and people we serve. Experis is part of the ManpowerGroup family of companies, which also includes Manpower, ManpowerGroup Solutions and Right Management. To learn more, visit www.experis.com.